Ostaria Boccadoro

What an absolutely delightful restaurant: we wish we could come here every week for Saturday family lunch! Simon and his staff were consummate professionals and attended to our every need. We even had two small children with us ages six and eight, and they took such good care of them and enable my husband and I to have a wonderful lunch as if we were adults only in the good old days! :) The food was absolutely superb and the best meal that we had in Venice. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but we had the squid ink tagliolini with scallops and the gnocchi with crab. SUPERB. Don’t miss it!

Great place throughout! The raw seafood is delicious, the pasta and gnocchi beautifully home-made and the rosemary panna cotta is to die for. You get your money's worth at this osteria - simple, honest, delicious Italian cuisine and warm, friendly service. The location on the square is very nice as well, a bit off the beaten track (except for the tourists on their way to Piazza San Marco who dispose their empty coffee cups here - and still, the staff treats them nicely) and perfect for lunch in the shade.

This restaurant was amazing. The restaurant staff were kind and helpful and took care of us very well. The food and wine were incredible - their wine list includes a lot of lesser-known varieties (at least to me), and our server helped us choose the perfect pairing. It's tucked away on a more secluded piazza, so the noise level was minimal. Take your time for this dinner and enjoy every minute!

My best meal in Venice. We had the raw fish antipasto and the black tanglioni with scallops and artichoke. Absolutely delicious! It's a small, family run restaurant and we chatted to the owners son who was so friendly and recommended some very good wine! Great atmosphere, great service, great food. We will definitely be coming back here again.

Sept 2024 updated review: I wrote a glowing review two years ago. I can't repeat the review. I returned to the restaurant expecting my past experience but was seriously disappointed. The portion of the "grande" antipasto was barely enough for three people. And our risotto arrived almost cold and liquidy. I look around at other tables and it looked the same. Avoid unless you really need to be in a quiet piazza away from crowds. That lovely part has not changed. I told the waiter how disappointed I was. He apologized but I am not convinced he really cared. Too bad this restaurant went down hill.

The lady who served us was a real angel - she gave us her best suggestions and so we think we got the ultimate gastronomic experience in Venice - a very impressive wine list with top wines from the Veneto like quintarelli - we had the modestly called white one which matched perfectly with our risotto The panacotta is to die for

Amazing start, with a very well served row fish and seafood (orata, branzino, tonno, scampi, cicale di mare e tartare di tonno) and an amazing end, with panna cotta with rosmarino and salt. A bit disappointed by the good( but not super) main courses, gnocchi with spider fish (was suggested by a friend, but I guess it was served with too little crab to be tasty) and seafood dumplings (unfortunately the tomato sauce was covering the taste of dumplings). Guess the menu has other better choices to taste of the fresh fish, but I need to go back to try. Staff is caring. Place is small, so recommended to book in advance if more than 2 people.

Very nice and cozy place in a very quiet area of Cannaregio sestiere, specifically at Campiello Widman. The place ha a very nice atmosphere and also the patio outside is very nice. Food is good but not memorable for sure. I had pasta with scallops and ginger and scallops were barely there. I tried a mixed fry fish and it was good but definitely too expensive considering the quality and the same things other more refined restaurants. Anyway nice and relaxing experience with a very welcoming and caring staff.

Came for a late dinner and service was great. Started with the spider crab in shell with salad underneath, which was a light appetizer but perfect as a starter for us. Had the fried seafood platter - everything had a light batter and was crispy without being greasy, the squid ink pasta, and a spaghetti with mixed seafood over a light tomato sauce. All the dishes were excellent. For dessert, the strawberry panna cotta was light as was the tiramisu. Sat outside under the stars and the ambiance was nice with a candle giving just enough light to see.

We decided to try Ostaria Boccadoro after eating at a very well known "famous" place on the prior evening. Last night we left feeling underwhelmed by the food and overwhelmed by the prices. The food had tons of salt and was not seasoned very well. Tonight we ordered a mixed crudo appetizer which had some of the best tuna tartare any of us had ever eaten. We also asked for grilled vegetables and the waiter had a platter made for us which was so good we had them make another! For the main course we ordered a crab salad, a tagliatelle with shrimp and a gnocchi with crabmeat filling. Everything we had was fantastic. Perfectly cooked, served hot and flavored very well. We highly recommend this restaurant! Don't let the fact that it's sort of off the beaten path scare you away. Great Value...Grazie!

Small, intimate, and quiet. Away from the crazy loud tourists. Food quality was excellent. Very polite service as well.

Dining at Osteria Boccadoro was a pleasure. My wife and I had dinner reservations on a recent trip. Unsure of what to order our server offered to just bring us to best dishes the restaurant had to offer. We hungrily agreed. The meal started with Antipasto Misto di Pesce Crudo, a selection of raw seafood. Fresh Sea Bream Carpaccio was paired with juicy diced strawberries and pomegranate, super fresh tuna melted in your mouth and fresh juicy shrimp made for the perfect appetizer. Next came more seafood: Antipasto Misto di Pesce Bollito. This mix of seafood included tender cuttlefish, octopus, shrimp and juicy briny sardines. For our entrees we had two pasta dishes: Tagliolini Neri con Capesante e Carciofi and Gnocchetti alla Granseola. The Tagliolini was savory, al dente, lightly creamy and mixed with cuttlefish ink and tender artichoke. The Gnocchetti was heavenly light with a light flavorful sauce with tender crab and juicy tomato. Finally, we had the Panna Cotta for dessert. This dish was creamy and lightly sweet with a texture similar to flan. The hint of rosemary and black salt were a nice touch.

Lunchtime in Venice - find a nice little Ostaria with outdoor seating, preferably with Italians at the table having a good conversation; ask a local what is good, and order that. It's not hard. Today's adventure led us to Ostaria Boccadoro - a nice place on a Campo that has plenty of outdoor seating and is a little out of the way. The waiter came around with a bread bowl; three different types of bread, all good. We ordered a selection of cheeses (from the dessert section) to start - parmessan, pecorino, and another that I forget. They came with a little bit of apricot jam and some honey. All were superb. I was told by my local guide to get the gnocchi with spidercrab, so I did. The gnocchi were super soft, luscious, and the sauce was out of this world. This is definitely a place I could return to repeatedly.

Best food I have had in my 3 trips to Venice. Order every Pasta on the menu. Then order one of the "boiled" fish dishes. Wow!!!! Their selection white wine is great.

This was legit the best meal I've had in years. I came with my boyfriend on a whim without a reservation and we got lucky and were seated within 10 minutes. Every dish was perfect - we got mussels & clams, tagliatelle with shrimp, squid ink pasta, and seared tuna. Our waiter was so sweet and gave us grappa on the house too, even though we were basically closing out the place :) It was one of those long dinners you have that doesn't feel long at all because of how enjoyable it is. Loved the atmosphere too. Not touristy at ALL. Already can't wait to come back the next time we go to Venice.

We found this restaurant through a magazine article that touted non touristy restaurants in Venice. It is nicely off the beaten path in Cannaregio. I would guess that 60% of the clientele was local and they were having a good time. Osteria Boccadoro is nicely decorated but not stuffy and the service was just right, helpful but now overbearing. Most importantly the food was excellent and featured many of the fresh ingredients that we saw earlier in the market including the seasonal baby artichokes. We had the tuna tartare, squid ink tagliatelle, spider crab gnocchi and the fried mixed seafood. All was excellent but I particularly enjoyed the fried fresh sardines and the tuna. With a nice bottle of wine the bill was only 110 Euro.

Finding this restaurant for our first dinner in Venice was a stricken of luck. The location was charming, located in the quiet neighborhood piazza where we luxuriated with excellent food and service for two hours. We had one of our favorite waiters ever for our meal, Simone. He was attentive, exceedingly pleasant and informative.

Read about this place in the DK guide to Venice and the Veneto, which described it as having a fantastic wine list, and specializing in seafood dishes, seasonal vegetable dishes, and chocolate desserts Discovered it on the walk between the apartment where I'm staying, and the docks at Fondamenta Nuove. Decided to treat myself to lunch, sat outside to write and people watch. Was a quiet weekday afternoon, service was attentive and friendly without being overbearing. My lovely server spoke at least three languages that I noticed, addressing me in English, other customers in Italian and still other customers in French. Had what I would consider a romantic lunch for one, starting with the mixed raw seafood appetizer -- raw prawn, tuna tartar, and raw sea bream with honey and strawberry -- a side of seasonal vegetable "flan," -- more souffle like -- I noticed courgettes, broccoli, and perhaps some artichoke or white asparagus and ended with a "five chocolate" mousse for dessert. That, along with sparkling water set me back about 50 euro. -- Really not bad considering the quality and presentation of the food, and the quality of the service. Honestly the only reason I didn't give it five stars was because, for the money, I would've liked a slightly larger portion, but that's very American of me. All in all I would go back -- and plan to (They had a veal cheek entree that is calling to me), and would also recommend it to friends -- although not friends on a budget.

We found this restaurant starred in our Lonely Planet guidebook and it did not disappoint! We were seated inside due to the thunderclouds rolling in and had a cozy evening inside, watching as tourists ran back and forth across the plaza getting soaked outside. We have immensely enjoyed the tuna tartare in Venice and Osteria Boccadoro was no exception. The raw fish was fresh and delicious, served on a bed of arugula, tomatoes, and balsamic. Our book recommended the "cloudlike" gnocchi so we ordered that with spider crab and OH MY GOODNESS. It literally melted on your tongue. We also shared a plate of mixed seafood pasta which had just the perfect balance of sauce to pasta. We also had water and wine with our meal and the bill only came to 62 euros. We were thrilled with the experience and wished we had room for dessert!!!

You can't beat the location. Even in the busy tourist season, this place was quiet and isolated. Our server, Elia (sp?) was amazingly kind, attentive, and patient. What a great experience. The black tagliatelli with scallops was our favorite dish. The tuna tartare was delicious and unique and the John Dory was fresh. I can't recommend this place enough.

The staff was amazing. We were visiting from the US and this was our first night out. We asked the waiters to pick our meals and wine. They brought us complimentary dessert for my birthday and our bill was only 110 euros! We had two starters and two primis and Bottle of wine (32 e). Fun atmosphere and the staff came and spoke to us about life in Venice.

Top notch service, they make suggestions because they are experts in what is fresh and what they do well, trust your server and you will have a great experience. The food was amazing. The fresh ingredients really shine here and the wine list is good too! The location and ambiance is awesome because it is tucked away in a quiet spot away from the crowds. A must visit if you like seafood.

What a great find. We got to watch the children come home from school. Quiet, away from the tourists, except us. The food was fabulous. We found a good beer here, Birra of Venezia Rossa.

Don't be deterred by the remoteness and the sense of vulnerability you may feel walking the narrow and deserted calle you must walk to get there. Not ostentatious but tastefully furnished. This is certainly among the *very best* and most pleasant ristorante in which I have eaten in Venice for dozens of dinners that I have had in this city over the years. I hope to dine here many times in the future. This place deserves a "pilgrimage". Non c'e "menu touristico"! Tutto era squisito! The location shown on the map on the Yelp page is WRONG. This place is in Cannaregio approximately midway between Fondamenta Nove and the Ca D'Oro vaporetto stop.

So romantic eating with candlelight under the stars. At one point we looked up and both saw a shooting star. The real highlight was the food though, the tuna tartar was outstanding, as was the pasta and the chocolate cake dessert. We asked the chef for his recommendations, something I like to do when the food is so fresh as he knows what is best. One thing I really like to test a restaurant is the house wine as you know if the house wine is good the owner has great taste and isn't skimping on ingredients, here it was exceptional. It's a bit hard to find, but that is part of the charm.

Ostaria Boccadoro, the Best Seafood in Venice Do you know how you can gauge the freshness of a seafood restaurant? When, as you are having a drink (or in when in Italy, an aperitivo) the morning catch is dropped off at the restaurant for lunch. The exquisite Ostaria Boccadoro, is located in the magical and unique city of Venice. The name Boccadoro, translated as "golden mouth" from Italian (bocca d'oro), suits this place divinely. The owner Chef Luciano Orlandi is profoundly charming and quite funny. The fanciful and refined restaurant specializes in offering the freshest and most incredible seafood. Their menu is highly dependent on what's available that day at the Rialto market. Even the napkins, made of fine linen, appeared freshly pressed. Chef Luciano was on vacation, which meant that instead of cooking in the back, he was serving and, literally, entertaining his guests up front. His theology on cooking is dedicated to the concept of "keeping it light." He utilizes the finest olive oil, light flour, fresh ingredients and no butter, so his patrons are not bloated and sleepy after your meal. He believes you should be able to eat a fantastic meal and still go on with the rest of your day and without the fatigue generally associated with carb-rich, Italian cuisine. What inspires him? Interestingly it is his own personal preferences. Chef Luciano only prepares dishes that he likes and he hopes his patrons will like it too. In an area that has become as touristy as Disney, this level of authenticity is refreshing to find. We are confident that you, too, will enjoy each course as much as we did. The chef has a gift of knowing what a dish will taste like, based on the ingredients and seasonings, before even tasting it. He claims (jokingly) that he was born in a kitchen. He shifts the menu according to the seasons and how they affect people's tastes and inclinations. For instance, in the summer he'll prepare lighter and fresher courses, whereas in the winter, he'll prepare warmer, comfort food plates. The Sea Bream with Honey, Strawberries and Pomegranate Seeds was airy and surprisingly not too sweet. Sea bream is a very versatile white meat fish that, in this rendition, possessed an extremely mild taste (given that it was caught only a couple hours ago) with a modest zing at the end. The crisp and succulent Tuna Tartar was served on a bed of baby lettuce greens with a rich balsamic glaze on the plate creating a beautiful compliment to the tuna. Next, we were served the best Seafood Platter we have ever had! It was sensually sexy and sizeable. It included the best anchovies we had ever had as well as delectable and juicy baby octopus, baby shrimp and sea squalls over creamy polenta. It also included superb spider crab and sautéed mussels. It was a magnificent and diverse orgy of dazzling seafood that we devoured with such glee. The Clams were grilled sensationally in their shells and presented gorgeously. They were so flavorful and addictive and did not last long on the platter. While we are huge proponents of the slow food movement, these beauties were gone quite swiftly. The Black Taglioni with Artichoke and Scallops was outstanding. The infallibly cooked pasta with amazing scallops and ripe soft artichokes were soft and supple. There is something so exotic about eating black noodle pasta that makes the dish so much more alluring. The Gnocchetti with Spider Crab was the lightest gnocchi ever! It was harmoniously combined with the crab sauce for a soothing and comforting flavor. No ingredient overpowered the other, allowing you to taste each and every delicate flavor. The Fresh Sea Bream served with artichoke and fresh tomatoes was the softest, most silky fish that we have ever consumed. It's like they draped the dish in invisible silk and it just slid it down our eager throats. The taste and texture were so addictive that we barely wanted to share it with each other. This was the same fish that was delivered to the restaurant while we were having our pre-meal aperitivo. It was served to us mere hours after it was caught in the Venice waters. The desserts were just as delicate and marvelous as the rest of the meal. The Five Chocolate Mousse was incredible with all the diverse chocolates melding together for a unique and addictive new chocolate flavor. The deliriously seductive Warm Lava Cake with Orange was creative and makes you surrender to its powers. It was the by far the best and most original lava cake we have ever experienced. We had had dozens of lava cakes and they are usually all good, but this one was phenomenal. It had a similar warm and mesmerizing chocolate taste but it also contained a hint of orange that elevated it far above all other lava cakes. The chef makes other versions of this sublime cake with mint and other flavorful surprises he may be inspired by. Ostaria Boccadoro is included in the Venice Michelin Guide and should get a star soon. A Must in Venice!!

We went to try this restaurant based off a review in Vogue and I must say we're not disappointed. We weren't quite sure what to think when we arrived to an empty restaurant but our minds were quickly changed. We started off with the raw seafood appetizer and it was amazing! My wife got the gnocchi with seafood and I got the pasta with cuddle fish ink, both were excellent.

Beautiful spot and very romantic. Service was great but the food was good not great (as the reviews and guidebooks would suggest). One exception was the carpaccio. For the price, I probably would have gone elsewhere. Maybe it was just an off night but left underwhelmed.

If you're not Caucasian, don't plan to spend a ton of money and have your opinion about food, run away. The chef here only wants you if you let him choose your meal. The food is decent but the service is racist and offensive.

What a treat! Best seafood in town and I would not eat raw fish at any other restaurant in the middle of summer. Their creations are creative and yet reflect local cuisine in a perfect way. An apperitivo, a good bottle of wine, a few starters and a primo is all you need to enjoy an evening with friends.

At this NOT TOURISTY place , we had a great meal. The food was fresh and delicious. We had an amazing tomato salad. They were red, lucious and brusting with flavor! The location is a bit hard to find in the twisted streets of Venice, but well worth the discovery. GO, be romantic and say hi to the owner Luciano the hostess with the mostest. You will love it. A real highlight of our trip this Spring.